His Voice
by TheBeautifulSignorina
Summary: He's a throb in the campus: he's got a beautiful voice, and he's very good in playing guitar. Everything about him is just... lovely. It's never a question why everyone else fell and falls for him. And she's one of them. But he's not into her... at first.
1. Chapter 1

**HIS VOICE  
**

**A/N:** Good day, everyone! Uhm, this is actually my first story submitted here ever. And it's kinda intimidating, you know. Well, uhm, hope you'll somehow like my story and please do review. I wanna know how you think of this. :)

**CHAPTER 1 - The Encounter**

It was a beautiful Saturday, the sixth day of school. An auburn-haired and emerald-eyed girl was sitting on one of those chairs in that Tomoeda High CfPA, patiently waiting for their class in Civic Welfare Training System (CWTS). Well, this class was definitely different from all other classes in all universities since all freshmen students of varying courses were merged in one great hall. The auburn-haired girl sat still and felt the clamminess of the atmosphere despite the aircon on function. She felt uneasy because she knew, there was a real big throng in that place just by hearing the buzzing of everyone else.

"You okay, Sakura?" Tomoyo Daidouji asked the emerald-eyed girl upon seeing her uneasy.

"Uh, yeah. I'm alright, best," Sakura Kinomoto replied, reaching for Tomoyo's hand who was sitting right beside her.

"Seems like you ain't, eh?" there was curiosity in Tomoyo's voise as she placed her hand over hers.

"I wonder how many people happen to be in here." Sakura said.

"I tell you. It's amazingly big," Tomoyo grinned and threw a glimpse on the boys' area on the right side of the CfPA's center aisle. "But don't worry!" she immediately said seeing that certain expression on Sakura's face and then continued, "I'm just here for you, best."

Sakura then regained her composure with that and smiled. After what happened 10 years back then, Tomoyo, her all-time best friend, stood beside her, guided her, and never left her, at all. However, sometimes, Tomoyo had to, so Sakura could stand alone even without her best friend around.

"Good afternoon, everyone!" a CWTS volunteer greeted the students in that hall. "It's so nice to see you all in here. So! Let's not waste time and get started. Let us make you acquainted with what CWTS really is." With that, the class formally started.

The lecture went on for almost two hours. And it caused a crick on everyone else. To have some sort of energizer, then, the volunteer reached for the microphone and said, "Okay, to awaken you from your drowsiness, oh! I could already see students sleeping, huh! Let's have an intermission number, first!" The crowd suddenly created noise and cheers. "See? Haha. Okay, let's give it up to the Psych Society Acoustic Band!" Everyone then clapped and cheered as three guys entered the stage from the side.

"Uh, hi." A cute guy said through the microphone and everybody else turned silent. "Uhm, if you happen to know the song, might as well sing with me," he said shyly and signaled the two other guys. One was holding a purple guitar and the other, a beatbox. The entire hall was really silent, waiting for them to start performing. Then,

_I wanna be a billionaire  
So freaking bad  
Buy all of the things I never had_

Everyone turned noisy once again. The boys were singing, too, and the girls on the other side were squealing due to the vocalist's cute face and lovely voice.

_ I wanna be on the cover of Forbes Magazine  
Smiling next to Opra and the Queen_

"Sakura! The guy's just so freaking cutttteeeee!" Tomoyo squealed. Sakura just smiled. She knew it. Of course, why would the crowd be that irritatingly noisy (A/N: On her part, you see.) if the guy singing ain't that lovely-in-the-eyes? All she could do was just smile, and pretended as if she liked everything. But honestly, she really loved it. She really loved the voice, in particular. Too bad, she just couldn't see how the guy really looked like which caused the girls go crazy, and even her cousin, Tomoyo.

_ Oh, everytime I close my eyes  
I see my name in shining lights_

Everyone in the hall sang with the guy. Some were even putting their hands up in the air.  
_  
'Nice voice, indeed.' _Sakura thought.

_ A different city every night  
Oh I, I swear  
The world better prepare  
For when I'm a billionaire_

Even until the end of the song, the crowd never abated singing and cheering. The band really had a great impact towards everyone. Towards girls, specifically.

"I wonder what his name could be," Tomoyo said, her eyes shimmering and mind wandering as she was walking with Sakura heading back to their dormitory.

"Uh, uh." Was Sakura's only reply.

"Hey! If you could only see him, Sakura, you'd surely get insane as well." Tomoyo said and held her cousin's elbows as they crossed the street.

"Oh, good that I couldn't see then. In that way, I won't become crazy like you," Sakura plainly said.

Tomoyo stared at her and then giggled. "Whatever you say."

Both then burst into laughter.

It was another Monday morning and Sakura was awakened by the ring of the alarm-clock. She set it last night at 5:45 am so she could prepare her things and won't be late for her 7:00 am Guidance class. She then headed to the kitchen and cooked food. She was only groping for things but she managed cooking with that. After, she went towards Tomoyo's bed and tried arousing her cousin.

"Hey, Tomoyo. Wake - oh my God! You're so hot. You've got a fever!" Sakura didn't know what to do. Tomoyo's temperature was just too high one could ever imagine.

"Er... Sakura?" Tomoyo's voice was nearly incomprehensible. "Don't worry. I can manage my own self. You might be late if you'll still tend on me."

"I don't care. Leaving you behind in this situation wouldn't be a great idea," Sakura then headed back to the kitchen, got and soaked a towel in a small basin half-filled with water, went back to the bed and placed the towel on Tomoyo's forehead. After a while, Sakura vanished from her sight and came back with some food.

"Oh. Thank you, Sakura," Tomoyo thanked her best friend sincerely and smiled.

"So, does this mean I'd be the only one heading for school?" Sakura asked with a taste of nervousness in her tongue.

"I'm afraid yes, my dear. And pardon me for that."

"No! Don't be sorry, Tomoyo. In this way, I can practice going to school all alone. I mean, yeah. Without you." Sakura said and tried to smile.

"Ah, yeah. Right. OH MY! I guess you're nearly late with your first class, Sakura! You better hurry up!" Tomoyo exclaimed seeing the hands of the clock pointing at 6:45.

With that, Sakura rushed and finally bid Tomoyo goodbye 5 minutes later.

"Okay. Sorry to say this, guys, but your teacher ain't here yet. He's still attending an important seminar and since he didn't leave any seatwork for you to work on, you may go." A junior student announced to the class.

_ 'Oh, come on. I shouldn't have just left Tomoyo back there at the dorm.' _Sakura thought then grabbed her black Habagat bag and went outside. _'Where am I going now? Oh, yeah. To the chapel. I should drop by there even for a moment.' _She thought and went to the said place.

'Oh, how peaceful!' Sakura thought as she entered. She then went near the altar and knelt down. A moment later, she heard someone somewhat sobbing. She had goosebumps right away. But as she tried to observe the entire place, she was quite sure she was the only one in there. Yet, she felt someone's presence. Ah, yeah. She remembered hearing the door creak a while ago. And as she tried to observe it, the presence was that of a guy's. Shocking may it seem, but that guy was sobbing. Though he was trying to suppress and hide his sobs, Sakura could still hear those. And she could tell that there was a really big problem confronting that poor guy. Just then, Sakura stood up and silently walked. She stopped at the row where she felt they guy was, went nearer and sat beside him.

"You may not tell it, but I know you've got a great problem within you." She said. Her voice was cold but there was sincerity in it.

The guy, who had his head down with his hands on his forehead while sobbing, looked up. There was a hint of confusion in his face. He wanted to ask her who she was. But instead, he harshly asked, "Why do you seem to care? We don't even know each other."

"Yeah, I know. But it doesn't matter. What really matters is - "

"Leave." Sakura could tell that the guy was really hard. And she was struck with that.

_ 'Urgh! Why am I here talking to this stranger anyway?' _she thought._ 'I pity him! That's it! And there's something in me that's telling me he wouldn't do any harm to me.' _Sakura then said, "Come on. I know it's just us in here. And I know, we're both strangers to each other. But you can tell me. In that way, your bad aura will be transferred to me. And in that way, you could no longer feel that great burden in your heart, because the other feeling is already with me." Sakura smiled but was shocked thereafter. Why was she doing that thing? To a guy, more importantly?

The guy went silent and tears streamed down his face. Sakura sensed it, so she handed him her favorite handkerchief which he hesitantly accepted.

"Tomorrow's, erm, my birthday." He started. "And I just received a call telling me that my parents died in a plane crash a while ago heading here from London, to purposely celebrate my birthday with their presence. It just... hurts," his voice was trembling with that.

There was a long silence.

Then, Sakura asked, "You feel lighter, by now?"

The guy looked at her. He paused for a while and admittedly said, "Uhm. Yeah. Th - thanks."

Sakura just nodded and smiled.

"You know what?" he constructed a conversation. "You're the first one who saw me cry aside from my dad. And it's just a shame on me. My mother never even did."

"Really?"

"Swear."

"Uh, well. It's not a shame on your part all along. I never really saw you cry, at all." Sakura plainly said. The guy looked at her once more. This time, longer.

"What do you mean with that?" he asked, perplexed.

"Can't you see? I couldn't see." Sakura said and then painted a sad smile on her face.

The guy was indeed, shocked. He went speechless for a moment.

**A/N**: I'm so grateful you've read. Does it sound good, then? Do I actually have wrong grammars and spelling here? Urgh. I'm you know, feeling cold here. My hands are feeling numb. Tsk. Anyways, PLEASE review. That thing REALLY... matters to me. I'd wholeheartedly and gladly accept the negative ones.

I'm still working with the Chapter 2. So basically, when I get the chance to read your reviews, especially the nega's, I'd be able to correct those that don't sound good, and then, I'd try to make them sound BETTER.

THANK YOU SO MUCH! Mwahugzz. :)

~16~


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Thanks for the reviews for Chap 1. _(Pardon me for that certain review which actually got lost. Too bad. T.T)_ Well, as promised. Here's Chapter 2. Come on, guys. I'll try my best not to disappoint you. But please, don't forget to RxR. :)**

Disclaimer: I don't own any CCS characters. :)

**:::::**

**CHAPTER 2:**

There was a deafening silence that dominated. Sakura already anticipated it. Could the guy be feeling sympathy towards her right now? Or could he be already suppressing himself from bursting into laughter? Either way, she didn't really care. But what could he be _really_ feeling that moment? She wondered.

"You mean you're blind?" he asked, his eyes searching for an honest answer though it was pretty obvious. But he wanted to confirm it from her very own mouth. Sakura was snapped back from her thoughts with what he asked.

"Apparently," she said and faked a smile.

"Cool..." Sakura raised a brow with his word. _'Cool?'_ she thought. "I mean, you're b-blind, yet you can still manage things that people normally do," he stuttered at the word blind, trying not to give an ounce of offense on her part there.

"Of course. I'm still human," she let out a snigger and continued, "I have to." She lifted her left-end lip with that and showed a really cute dimple.

The guy saw that and it really suited her angelic and innocent face.

_'Pretty,_' he concluded in his thoughts.

_ 'Urgh! Shut the f*ck up!'_ He immediately fought the thought off and bowed down, head perching on his palm, and eyes shut.

"Here. Thanks for the handkerchief and for the uplifts," he said, handing her the handkerchief back without even opening his eyes and looking at her. His mind still never left thinking about what his parents tragically ended up. Tomorrow should have been a memorable day for him but everything was suddenly taken by the wind just like that. What was he supposed to do during his birthday then considering the sad fact that his parents got killed before his day? His mind already felt really painful that he somehow couldn't bear anymore. He was feeling dazed.

A pair of cold hands gently crept on his arm. He knew it was hers, groping for the handkerchief which she finally got hold. He withdraw his hand back and dared not to move a single muscle that minute.

"Uhm, I better get going. Hope you'll feel even a slight happiness despite the tragedy. But I wish more for your total happiness. You know, everything happens for a reason. And we just have to accept those - may them be hurtful and heart-piercing in our part." Sakura said and stood up. The long wooden for-church-purposes chair creaked and Syaoran lifted his head up, his orbs fixed on hers which couldn't actually fix on his back.

"Thanks for the time - ?" he said as a sign of respect and gratitude to her, raising the last word's intonation purposely, apparently trying to ask for her name.

"Erm... Sakura," she muttered under her breath. She wasn't used to giving her name to total strangers. But the guy was different, she felt it. Besides, they were at school. She believed everything would just go safe and sound.

"Well uhm, Syao - Eriol here," he said hesitantly. "Eriol," he told her decisively.

"Okay. Erm, happy birthday in advance then, Eriol," she greeted, trying to sound cheerful. When he didn't reply, she just made a gentle bow at him and then trailed off.

Syaoran was just staring at her until the door finally opened and closed, Sakura, no longer in his sight.

_ 'So, it's just been the two of us here all along,' _he thought and crouched slightly on the chair, fingers gently placed on the bridge of his nose. He closed his eyes and went like that for about 5 minutes. He sighed afterward and finally got up.

**:::::**

"Syaoran." That trembling voice greeted him as soon as he entered the house. It made him feel chills running through his spine. Their house seemed so empty. There were no helpers welcoming him and getting his stuffs anymore. Probably, they were with his uncle, working on his parents' recovered bodies. He wasn't used to getting in the house finding it so much deserted and tranquil. Could his birthday be experiencing a silent home by tomorrow? With all the ear-popping silence and scary-creeping ambiance? How he wished he just wouldn't wake up and skip the day instead. How he _wished_.

A tight hug suddenly awakened him from his deep thoughts.

"M-Meiling..." that was the only thing that came out from his mouth.

"I really am so sorry with what happened," she sobbed on his broad chest. "You know, I never really thought this would ever happen. Worst is... on your birthday." She cried harder with that, not breaking from her hug with him.

"Would you just shut the f*ck up, Meiling? I ain't even crying here but YOU do!" he growled harshly and gently pushed her wrapped arms from him. He went to the kitchen and open the fridge, getting a bottle of fresh milk.

Meiling was following him and then snapped, "Come on, Syaoran! What are you, nuts? Can't you just show some feeling even a little despair?" her voice echoed through the walls of the kitchen. There she goes again. He knew her. She never gives up a topic especially when it involves feelings and heartaches. Just like his situation, though she was just a niece of his parents, she was crying as though it was her parents on that crashed plane! _'Well, probably because girls are just so sensitive,' _he just thought to himself. She was right anyway. He must _be_ in despair right now. But she was just overreacting.

"Syaoran!''

"Okay, Meiling! I did. I have had cried already and it would be enough. Besides, I don't wanna let people see me crying." He growled. _'But someone already did,' _he added to his thoughts.

Meiling hugged him once more and whispered, "Hope we can get through this."

:::::

_'What a day,' _Syaoran thought as he entered his room and threw himself on his bed. There was nothing interesting about his room. It wasn't that big. But he loved it so much. The wall was nearly filled with posters, some were nonsensical at all (he really just wanted to have posters everywhere.) His bed has a black quilted sheet and it was really soothing in his eyes. He loved black, though it's not really a color. Opposite the bed is a big mirror which covered the entire wall on that portion. No, he wasn't vain. He just loved it placed there. On a corner was where a purple guitar rested. And on the opposite corner was a rack of utmost 10 pairs of shoes - black Chuck Taylor, black Vans On The Wall, and the like. Of course, he's got a human-sized checkered black and white cabinet filled with clothes. No, he's not an emo or something. Syaoran Li just LOVED black.

He was lying on his bed on a prone position. But something was bulging in his left pocket. He immediately dug his left hand in it and got out some little stuffs: coins, key chains, and his handkerchief, and placed them on the drawer just beside the bed. He closed his eyes again.

"Huh!" he exclaimed and opened his orbs and stared at the handkerchief lying lifelessly (of course), on the drawer. It was actually colored pink. But he hasn't really got a PINK handkerchief! Or was it just the reaction of the dim light in his room? He looked at it closely. It really WAS pink. He hauled himself up and reached for it. He sat beside the bed and unfolded it. It wasn't his! And as he asked himself whose that thing was, he found a word _'Sakura'_ embedded on one of its corner. _'So, it's hers then,'_ he told himself. _'And he actually got mine? We interchanged hunkies then? Huh, stupid Syaoran. I got my own one from my right pocket and handed that to her?'_ he just sighed with the thought and drowned himself to sleep.

:::::

"What? You exchanged handkerchiefs?" Tomoyo asked, now feeling better. Sakura was telling her about what happened in the chapel.

"Uh, huh. This ain't my scent. It's male's,'' Sakura replied, breathing into the handkerchief.

''Well, it's just a handkerchief, Sakura." Tomoyo grunted, her body sprawled on the bed and eyes closed.

"No, Tomoyo. It's NOT just a handkerchief! It's valuable to me, for God's sake.'' Sakura scoffed. But Tomoyo didn't answer her. She just heard a soft snore a moment later. Sakura sighed. Tomoyo slept away from her once again. She finally went to bed and drowned herself to sleep.

:::::

"No way, man!" Eriol exclaimed which caused the librarian to 'ssshhh' him while pointing at the 'Silence Please' note posted on a wall. Eriol bowed his head several times as a sign of his apology. He and Syaoran were at the library that moment, working on their assignment in Psychology, when the latter told him about the encounter with that blind girl back in the chapel.

"Don't worry. She's pretty. It's just that, you know, she's blind." Syaoran grunted, not even lifting his head to throw a glimpse on his astonished best mate.

"Hmm. Let's see," Eriol said, rubbing his chin gently with his index finger. "Wait, when will I meet her, then?" he asked excitedly.

"When time allows." Syaoran replied.

"Hey, man! I'm serious." Eriol grunted.

"I don't know, man. But believe in the magic that you'll meet her one of these days. Or even one of these hours," Syaoran smiled with that. He told Eriol about what happened because time might draw both to each other and Eriol must be very abashed then, having a blind girl face-to-face with him talking about stuffs he never really actually have done. Eriol hasn't even entered the chapel once!

"Done with the ass?" Eriol asked a moment later.

"Yup. Here," Syaoran replied, handing his sheet of paper to him so he could copy.

:::::

"You love shrimps, best?" Tomoyo asked in amazement. She really was amazed seeing her bestfriend Sakura eating her gluttony out with shrimps.

"Of course. Who damn won't?" Sakura muffled.

"I still am not your bestfriend. I haven't known this thing after all." Tomoyo said, pouting her lips as a sign of sadness. But she was only kidding.

"You're still my damn friend, Tomoyo. F*ck you," this time, Sakura was no longer scrunching on shrimps and the words she let out were very audible.

"EWW!" Tomoyo growled, and they both burst into uncontrollable laughter that Tomoyo's eyes were already beaming with tears.

..._Happy lunchtime, Tomoeda! This is your DJ Naomi, on duty_... a calm yet wonderful voice said over the radio. Yes, Tomoeda University has these radios everywhere in the campus and the DJs are just some good senior Mass Communication students.

"I wager it's the school radio. Isn't it?" Sakura asked Tomoyo while junking on shrimps in her mouth.

"Uh, huh." Tomoyo grumbled.

..._Well, guys. I'll bring you something this noon, which will surely make you really love me. Haha. Especially the girls out there. You have to thank me for this. And yeah, I'd wholeheartedly accept chocolates as your gratitudes..._ DJ Naomi chuckled over the radio.

The people eating and chatting in the canteen chortled, including both Tomoyo and Sakura.

_ ...So, guys. I won't make this long. Let's give it up to the Psychology Society acoustic band!... _DJ Naomi's voice echoed over the radio.

The girls in the canteen squealed.

"Sakuraaaaa!" Tomoyo did, as well.

Some asked, "What?" "Really?" "No way!"

"Sssshhh,'' a girl asked everyone to be silent and just listen instead.

_ ...So, what are your names, first of all. Girls are actually intrigued..._ DJ Naomi started interviewing them.

_...Uhm, Yukito Tsukishiro, on beat box..._

_...Eriol Hiiragizawa, on guitars..._

_...and erm - Syraoran Li, vocals..._

The girls squealed once again. The name 'Syaoran Li' came in the mouths of one another. Tomoyo was tugging Sakura, exclaiming, ''I finally knew his name!" over and over again. But Sakura kept still._ 'Eriol?' _she thought. _'Is he the same Eriol back in the chapel?'_

_...So, what are you gonna play for us?..._ DJ Naomi asked, her voice with a hint of excitement in it.

_...The most wanted song in Tomoeda - Billionaire... _Syaoran said and let out an elegant chuckle.

Girls were, once again, squealing at the top of their lungs. The boys who happen to be in the canteen as well were already irritated with those squeals.

Eriol then began strumming and Yukito began tapping on his beat box...

_ I wanna be a billionaire_

The canteen went noisy. Some girls went and stood over the table and got wild.

_Oh, everytime I close my eyes_

Tomoyo threw her hands up in the air, and almost everyone followed, singing the song as well. Sakura herself, was banging her head slightly in the air so she could relate and won't be out of placed.

_I wanna be a billionaire_

_So freakin' bad._ *Syaoran softly chuckled in the end* (that's part of the song)

The song came to its last note finally. Everyone got back with their composure. Others continued eating. And boys let out their sighs.

..._Wow, that was really cool... _DJ Naomi said in amazement.

..._Thanks... _the guys said in unison.

..._Awh, yeah, by the way. It's Syaoran's birthday!... _Eriol said as fast as he could so Syaoran couldn't refrain him from informing everyone.

..._Whoah! Really? Happy birthday, then. Listeners, you heard what Eriol said. It's their vocalist, Li's birthday! Let's sing for him!" _DJ Naomi couldn't determine herself what to do. She then started singing, _...happy birthday..._

The people in the canteen also sang.

_ 'So, it's not the same Eriol back there in the chapel. He didn't say that it's his birthday as well.' _Sakura thought.

**_:::::_**

Sakura finally stood up after almost 10 minutes in the chapel. Tomoyo wasn't with her because she had a dance practice for their PE practical examination. The chapel's door was quiet heavy so she forcibly pulled it. _Crassshhh! _A guy was all of a sudden thrown inside - to Sakura's direction. She was hit and fell down, feeling a massive weight over her body.

"Hey! Why aren't you looking? Are you - "

"I'm blind. I'm blind. Sorry," Sakura apologized. Her voice quavered. She thought it was her fault. Of course, she was blind, and the guy must be doing something else or leaning outside when she pulled the door open.

The guy was taken aback, and asked in an-already low voice, "Sakura?"

Sakura breathed hard. "You know me?"

"It's me. Eriol," he calmly said, his eyes locked on her emerald orbs.

**A/N: Oh! That was quite long. Hope you didn't feel some crick while reading it. And hope it wasn't a cliché! (What's a cliché, by the way?) :DD So now, Eriol finally met Sakura - but in a very awkward situation! He fell over her - Sakura beneath his body. It was just so lame. And what made it more lame (more lame?) was the fact that they were right inside the chapel! Don't forget to RxR, guys. **

**16-  
**


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N:**

**Konnichiwa minna san! How are you, all?**

**First and foremost, allow me to say 'sumimasen' for not having updated my fic as sooner as I could possibly do. I was so caught up with my studies, especially that after publishing Chapter 2, our final and departmental examinations were nearing and I knew I would impossibly survive with my course if I wouldn't focus much. ;( Then, that unexpected bale happened in Japan. Haven't mustered my courage that time yet to publish the next chapters when in fact, Japan's other foot was buried on the grave, I mean yeah, suffered from such a great loss (both properties and lives). BUT now, she's fully recovered. MABUHAY ANG JAPAN! (Long live, Japan!) :)**

**Now, I know I owe you a few chapters to compensate my long absence. Here's Chapter 3, then. Hope you'd like it. Don't forget to R x R! :)) God bless.****ü**

**:::::**

**CHAPTER 3:**

"Awh. It's you," Sakura was relieved but her heart was throbbing hard because of the sudden fall and everything. She didn't know exactly how she looked like. "Er, do you mind getting up?" she asked right away feeling his weight still on her.

"Oh! Sorry, sorry." Eriol said and hauled himself up. He helped Sakura get on her feet and dusted his shirt off afterwards.

"I guess, we've disturbed the people in here," Sakura said softly, her face, scarlet.

Eriol looked around and then said, "No. Good, there's no one here. It's just... _us_."

"Really? Oh, good gracious." Sakura said, heaving out a sigh. She lost her keen senses for a moment. She actually knew whether there are people or none in a certain place, but with what happened? Dunno why, her senses just went sluggish all of a sudden.

**:::::**

"Happy birthday," Sakura greeted Eriol. They were sitting on one of those benches on the Tomoeda grounds. Eriol scowled and felt awkward, being greeted by someone with a "Happy Birthday" seriously. He wouldn't know how to correct that someone without letting her feel embarrassed. But he went to wear that cute smile on his face right then when he remembered the thing Syaoran has told him.

"Erm... Thank you," he replied, his mischievous smile painted on his face.

"How are you feeling now?" she asked.

"I'm slowly recovering. In fact, I don't feel that depressed anymore. Know why?" Eriol asked and held her chin gently to face him.

"W-why?" Sakura stuttered with Eriol's behaviour.

"Because you're with me," he said, without letting go of her chin.

Sakura felt her pallid cheeks turn into deep crimson red.

"It's okay. Don't blush," Eriol said and smiled silently. Syaoran was mistaken. She wasn't pretty. She resembled much like an angel. She was very beautiful, that is.

Sakura casted her eyes down, feeling totally embarrassed. Eriol merely withdrew his hand when he felt she didn't like his act, and sat up straight.

"You've got the same birthdate with Li Syaoran," Sakura stated, trying to drop the topic they had a while ago which heated her cheeks up, and landed with Li stuffs.

"You know him?" Eriol asked.

"Who damn won't? Every girl in the campus falls head over heels for him," she answered and gently stroked some strand of her hair which covered her face.

"You like him?" there was something in Eriol's tone. Was he like envious or something? Perhaps he was just some piece of a gossip geek. Sakura wondered, but she answered him nonetheless.

"His voice, yes." Sakura shrugged slightly with that.

"Not because of his damn looks?" there was another follow-up question that erupted from Eriol's mouth.

"I couldn't see him, Eriol. I couldn't see people. I couldn't see you. I couldn't even see a sliver of light out of the corner of my eye. I couldn't see - "

"I'm sorry," Sakura felt Eriol's soft hand landing on hers and gently stroked it. She felt a thousand bolts run through her tiniest nerves the moment she felt his warm hand. But she didn't withdrew from his hands. She just let his, resting and stroking hers. There was nothing wrong with that, at all.

There was a moment of silence.

"Erm, Li has a colleague named Eriol, as well." There she went again, swerving the topic.

"And?"

"He's on guitars. He's pretty good," Sakura said, nodding her head simultaneously.

"You LIKE him?" Eriol was very eager with what Sakura would answer him.

"The guitar, yes," Sakura merely said.

"Oh, come on." Eriol sighed and continued. "I'm serious."

"You really wanna know?" Sakura let out a deep breath. "Okay. So, I've always wanted to learn how to play those stuffs. But I just couldn't exactly position my fingers on the right fingerboards. Pretty hard for me. You know, because of my limitation. Now, I LIKE people playing guitars.. Satisfied?"

"So, would that mean, you like ME?" Eriol asked inquisitively. Sakura was starting to get annoyed. Is he really straight? Or yes, a straight guy but with a green blood? A gay, perhaps? Still, she answered him despite of those judgmental yet possible thoughts.

"You mean, you play those kind of stuffs?" Sakura asked back.

"Yeah, exactly!" Eriol replied with pride. But he wasn't going to tell her that he's actually the Eriol she meant a while ago. "By the way," he continued, changing the topic, "don't I deserve to receive a gift from you?"

"Omo! Sumimasen." Sakura said with puppy eyes. "But haven't we met each other just yesterday? I still don't know you, at all. I don't know, maybe you're one piece of an asshead."

Eriol chortled and said," Beat me."

Sakura smiled. Eriol just stared at her. She looked more beautiful when she does that.

"Okay. Let's have it this way," Eriol faced Sakura and held both of her hands. "Can I just ask a kiss from you as a present?"

"It ain't a good one," Sakura shyly said, her heart throbbing so fast, once again.

"A kiss coming from you? It would even be the best present I'd ever receive today!" Eriol exclaimed. He noticed Sakura's face go red.

"Oh, hey come on! Don't blush, Sakura. Just on the cheeks, anyways," he said with an index finger pointing on his left cheek as though she could see him do that.

She sighed. "Okay then."

Eriol positioned himself right away and Sakura started leaning her face to kiss him on the cheek. But he was such an asshole, so when his face was an inch away from hers, he immediately faced her and - ! Their lips pressed against each other!

**:::::**

_"Urgh! Damn you, Eriol! Where in Tomoeda are you?" _Syaoran was getting impatient. They were supposed to have a practice on the song Grenade, but the jerk was just nowhere to be found...

"Happy birthday, Syaoran!"

"Happy birthday..."

"H-happy b-birthday, S-Syaoran...''

...and all those birthday greetings from unknown people, acquaintances, classmates, and friends created a concoction of feelings to his atmosphere. He wasn't used to being treated like that, but he managed to respond with smiles and thank yous. Of course, he wasn't plastic at all. He gave them his sincerest attitude, anyhow.

_"We're supposed to be halfway with the song already, Eriol, if you showed up earlier. Urgh! I have always hated waiting." _Syaoran thought as he walked briskly along the hallways, finally giving up on waiting for a guy who would no longer come. As he reached the Tomoeda grounds, he saw a familiar body built sitting on one of those wooden benches.

_"Finally_." Syaoran walked nearer, but he noticed an auburn-haired girl chatting with him. She was at her back from Syaoran so he didn't totally recognize who she was. He continued walking and approached them, determined to abduct the guy from her if possible, so they could practice with the song by then. But wait! Were his eyes functioning all right? He saw them pecked each others lips - in public! Or was his vision getting impaired and dull? But nothing's wrong with his eyes and vision! Everything he saw was right.

Syaoran looked around. People were busy. They never seem to care about these two young earthlings doing lip-to-lip in public. He walked towards them as fast as he could, and when he was already in their front, he thrusted the hard copy of the song and chords to Eriol, and gently bowed with mouth fairly near both their ears.

"Get a room." Syaoran said, wearing a reaction on his face that no one could ever determine of which type.

**:::::**

"Get a room."

Sakura's ears rang! She opened her eyes and felt something soft pressed on her lips. Soon she realized that instead of kissing Eriol's cheek, her lips landed on his! She parted from him as fast as the speed of light. She thought she melted with shame.

"I-I'm sorry. It wasn't supposed to be like that," Sakura apologized, feeling totally embarrassed.

"No! Don't be sorry. I'm grateful. Happy. I don't know. I never felt such happiness in my life before until you kissed me. It was merely an accident though." Eriol said, wearing that same mischievous smile.

"Who was that?" she asked him, referring to the person who said, _"Get a room."_

"Uh, that?" Eriol looked at the guy who's back still registered in his sight. "He's a classmate in one of my subjects." He didn't lie, at all. Syaoran was his classmate in Psychology class. His answer just lacked, but it was the most direct answer, nevertheless.

"Have to go. Happy birthday once again."

**:::::**

"Happy birthday, Syaoran!" Mei Lin greeted him as soon as he entered the manor. As what he has anticipated, the place was filled with people. The manor was heavily illuminated, and people were singing. There were flowers everywhere and foods piled one after another on the table. But all of those things were not because it was his birthday, but because it was the first night of his parent's wake. He wandered his eyes around, and found two long scary white stuffs neatly set before the heavily-curtained wall. The sight gave him goosebumps and so he swerved his sight right away and landed on his worried-about-him cousin.

"What's happy with my birthday, Mei Lin? People don't even acknowledge and recognize my presence. They're all gloomy. Mournful. Many are sobbing in some corners, and you dare greet me with a 'happy birthday'? Do you stand by the term 'cousins', Mei Lin?" Syaoran snapped, his voice was cold. One could see that he was bearing such great trial in life.

"Yes, Syaoran. We are cousins! And that's the reason why I'm trying to make things easy for you here. I understand your situation, Syaoran! I do," Mei Lin tearfully said. She hugged him then.

"No. You don't understand, Mei Lin. No one can make me feel better with this. No one can make things easy for me." He broke from her hug and continued, "I need to be alone. I need tranquility." with that, he left Mei Lin and headed upstairs, to his room.

He wrenched the knob of his door open and slammed it behind. Silence welcomed him. He heaved out a deep sigh and lobbed his bag on a couch facing his bed.

_"This is the saddest birthday I ever have." _Syaoran thought and pelted down to his bed, his one hand groping for a pillow and muffled the stuff on his face.

"Hmm. What am I supposed to say to you - happy birthday? condolence? Or both?" Syaoran opened his eyes upon hearing a familiar voice and removed the pillow from his face.

Eriol was merely lolling on Syaoran's couch, feeling at home, his scruff perched on the soft edge of it.

"Why are you _here?_" Syaoran advertently inflicted his voice to let Eriol notice the hint of exasperation in it.

"Because I'm your best mate. Besides, you've got two occasions at a time. I'm even here for AN occasion - now that you have two, I wouldn't even come? Well, that sounds unlikely." Eriol blustered.

"Are you plaguing me or something?" Syaoran's blood started seething.

"No. Seriously, happy birthday." Eriol said gleefully and looked at him directly. Then he wore a sad face and continued, "Erm, condolence, as well, bro. You know, your parents were like mine all along. They've been so good to me. Really good. And it's just so sad to mull over that no one's ever gonna fly off here and take us both out again to go fishing during their furlough." There was an honest bitterness in his statement. He didn't shed a tear, though. That would be a total over-reaction.

Syaoran merely gloated at Eriol. Yeah, they've been friends for about their entire lives. Childhood friends to say. And he was really smitten-ed with his bestmate's statement. Syaoran doesn't want to talk about things that would only make him cry. Ergo, he merely lurched to the other side of the bed and said, "Grant me serenity, Eriol. I want to be alone if you don't mind.''

"I finally came face-to-face with the blind girl, mate. Remember? The one you meant to me the other day?" Eriol excitingly said, as though he hasn't heard Syaoran ask for some piece of serenity from him. "Not just that," he continued, "she kissed me. Come to think of it, it was still our first meeting and we already did such! She already did such!"

Syaoran frowned silently. So it was that blind girl whom he was kissing with? There was a sudden twinge in his stomach. He didn't know why.

"She's blind, though." Eriol said unhappily. "But wait, it doesn't matter, right? What matters most is how you really feel for such a blind girl. Yes, that's it! And I guess I feel something different. It's like - oh hey, wait! Where are you going?" Eriol stood up seeing Syaoran head for the door, clutching his purple guitar. He didn't notice Syaoran get up because he was too busy wallowing in his thoughts about the blind girl, Sakura.

"I have to search for serenity." Syaoran answered curtly. He scurried downstairs, leaving his best mate in his room and threw a glimpse on his parent's coffin. He didn't even go near those scary stuffs. He still finds it really hard to accept it happened, and they can't blame him.

When he reached the gate, he glanced at the garage. His car was waiting for him there. But no. We wanted to walk and walk and walk and go where his feet would bring him.

**:::::**

Their village was quiet. Houses were dimly lit. He had found peace on the surrounding and could just sit on the sidewalk while playing his guitar until his heartaches ebb. But he wanted to go far away from their village. Far away from their house. So he continued walking, passed the guard house and finally out from the village. He never stopped walking, and crossed the street. But before he reached the other side of the road, he heard a deafening screeching tire.

"Hey! Wanna die, bloke? Commit suicide then! Don't get us involved!" a gruff voice snapped. It was the driver of the truck that nearly bumped him. How he wished it just happened. How he wished he was just hit by that truck and die right there and then! It seemed like his life no longer has direction. He felt so helpless. Tired. But he didn't answer the furious driver. He just resumed walking as though nothing happened.

A peaceful park caught Syaoran's attention. It was dimly illuminated and only a few people were strolling down the said place. He went to the fountain which was located at the center of it. There was a cemented bench that gyrated the fountain and he sat on it. He positioned his guitar on his lap and started plucking the strings. People passing by were staring at him, silently deliberating in their minds whether he was begging for coins or something. Perhaps, brokenhearted? Others thought. But Syaoran didn't care.

_Like a rainbow fading in the twinkling of an eye  
Gone too soon..._

A crone dropped some coins on the ground near his feet. Syaoran just casted his eyes down. Does he really appear like what he appeared to the crone? He was well dressed-up but she still mistakenly judged him...

_Like the lost of sunlight in a cloudy afternoon,  
Gone too soon..._

...he continued, nevertheless.

The lights from some lamp posts started to denigrate and the park started to ink out. The number of people in there began to dwindle until Syaoran could no longer see even a shadow of them. He waited for that. Now, he would have total silence. He looked up at the sky. It was clear. The stars were bright at their places and the silvery moon, it was on its sliver phase but still shone illuminatingly. He finally reprieved playing his guitar and placed it on the cemented hearth and hoisted his legs up on the gyrating bench to lie down. When he did, he gazed up at the sky, and wondered which among the stars up there were his parents. Are they also looking down at him at that same moment? He heaved out a deep sigh and closed his eyes. A tear seeped gently from beneath them.

_CRAAASSSHHHH!_

A loud noise shattered the silence of the park. Syaoran felt something not-so-heavy that toppled plump over him and something soft that brushed his lips. He was alarmed and hurtled up, wrenching that thing away - towards the shallow waters of the fountain, and the waters completely splashed. He pivoted his head and found his guitar wrecked! For a few seconds, his eyes were glued on his sensual possession, his face aghast! He was infuriated and determined to let whatever that caused his guitar's damage pay him. He scuttled his eyes on that thing that he jolted away. But he was abashed at what he saw. Syaoran stood there, dazed!

An auburn-haired girl was unconsciously sprawled on the fountain floor, her body completely immersed in water. But her face looked familiar. He pored at her, his forehead rucked.

Syaoran's heart suddenly throbbed. He knew her. It was her, his eyes would never deceive him - it was Sakura!

**:::::**

**A/N: Omo! Syaoran's done some appalling thing that's worth apologizing to Sakura. He knocked her down, right on the fountain floor, and now she's unconscious! Of all people, why her? The blind girl? And wait, why was she just all alone? She's blind, for God's sake! Syaoran's mind was addled. What was he supposed to do then?**

**Weee! Hope this sounds good. Your reviews would make me really happy and feel invigorated. I'd do my best to publish the next chap AS SOONER AS POSSIBLE.:)**

**To God be the Glory!  
**

xoxo,

_**TheBeautifulSignorina**_


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N:**

**Hello, homies! Just done with our midterm examinations. Had great eyebags, really. *sighs***

**But now, I'm free! HAHAHA. *throws hands in the air* YAY! :))**

**So, here's Chapter 4. **

**ENJOY reading! Pardon me for wrong grammars, okayy? Thanks! Don't forget to RxR! :)**

**God bless.**

**:::::**

**CHAPTER 4**

For a moment, Syaoran stood there, eyes chained upon Sakura's, mind muddled, uncertain of what to do. Oh, come on! Was he sweating? Urgh, who damn won't? In just a few seconds, he incredibly knocked down a girl on a fountain floor immersing her completely on its waters! And wouldn't it bath him with sweat finding out that she's a blind girl all along? But it wasn't intentional, at all! Would he even do that if he only knew in the first place? You can't blame him. Blame his adrenaline rush. (A/N: Is my term right? :D)

_ 'Huh!'_ Syaoran was suddenly snapped away from his stupefied and perplexed thoughts. He swooped down right away and carried her in his arms. Syaoran felt his body heat up the moment their fleshes pressed against each other. Her body was soppy and her clothes drenched. Syaoran started feeling some clamminess in his shirt with that which he didn't really care about. He could take it off, anyway. But the girl - Sakura. She couldn't take hers, for earth's sake! Well. The park's already asleep since it was late. He could do it for her instead coz she's unconscious. He thought it's not possible for a chap to see them, besides, the park lights were dim and some were even defective. Syaoran froze._ 'Dang! What am I thinking?' _He merely shrugged the thoughts away. Now, his amethyst eyes fixed on her countenance. Her brows arked perfectly, lashes slightly swerved up, nose so slender. Her lips were thin and pinkish. And her eyes, what would it be like if she could actually see? Would she like and even fall for him? _'Ahh! Fool. But wait, wherever I go, girls would really stare at me as though I were a god! I probably am really that good-looking! URGH! Dang. Dang. Dang. Shaddap.' _He madly thought.

_'Phew! My muscles hurt. How long have I been standing with this girl in my arms, by the way?' _Syaoran slowly put her on the gyrating cemented bench and sat down just beside Sakura's head. He stared at his wrecked guitar. He has really saved a lot for five long months just for that precious thing but here comes a girl and had it broken just like that in a millisecond? He threw an angry glimpse at her and reached for the guitar. It had no hope. If it was a human, it would already be dead! He couldn't do anything now. He's got no wand to fix it in a moment and couldn't even call out for Harry Potter to do it for him. He has to buy another one and hope he could find perfectly just like the one perching in his hands. He stared back at her. This time, longer. **Wait!** Her face wasn't pinkish anymore. It was a pallor! Syaoran was alarmed. Probably she's fractured or something. Perhaps, she's already having this 'internal bleeding'! _'Oh no!' _Syaoran thought. He tried thinking about the rightest thing to do, and when he hastily thought of one, he carried her once more in his arms and managed to bring his wrecked guitar as well. He looked ludicrous, though. Can you vividly imagine how he's done it? :D

**:::::**

"Syaoran, what happened?" Mei Lin came in, bursting through the door. "And who's that girl? Why is she unconscious? And why is she - is she wet?"

"Check her out, please." Syaoran said hastily without even looking at his abashed cousin. He had laid Sakura on his bed without caring about the bed getting sopped. He was pacing back and forth, his fingers stroking his hair - nervous of Sakura's fate, afraid of screwing things up and confused of how to explain everything that happened without upsetting her.

"Oh my! What happened to your guitar?" Mei Lin asked when she saw that purple guitar lying lifelessly (of course) on the richly carpeted floor.

"Should I just sit and share with you the heartaches I feel about my guitar's fate and everything? There's a girl here who needs immediate care. Should we let her die right there while we're talking and sharing experiences? Urgh, Mei Lin! Can you do something? If not, you may get out now." Syaoran snarled. He went to the bed and pored over the unconscious Sakura.

"Fine! I'll call our doctor up." said Mei Lin and hastily rummaged for her phone in her pocket and dialed the doctor's number.

Syaoran sat still, his eyes never left Sakura's closed ones.

**:::::**

"How is she?" Syaoran finally asked the doctor seeing the latter packing up his medical possessions.

"Nothing to worry about," the doctor smiled at him to eliminate his worries and continued, "she merely needs total rest. An entire day would do. No school. No work. Nothing. All she's got to do is just to lie on the bed. She's got some little bruises to heal."

"Thank you." Syaoran shook hands with the doctor who patted him by the other hand on his back and finally went out.

Syaoran stood there, arms folded, eyes glued upon Sakura once again, and then heaved out a deep sigh before getting out.

**:::::**

"OH! I"M REALLY SORRY, Touya-san! We were in the park last night. You see, she wanted to wind up so she decided to go out. Of course, it was already late. I accompanied her. We were sitting on a bench there when I decided to buy something for us to munch so I asked her to stay. But when I came back - " the black-haired pretty girl stopped. It was as though the person whom she was speaking with on the phone bellowed at her since she distanced the phone from her ear with an irritation marked on her face.

"Because I thought she'd just come back home, Touya! I know it's a funny thought, but you know Sakura's got good senses! - Alright. Alright. I'd do something. - You're calling me stupid? Come on, Touya! Hey -! TOUYA!" the girl gloomly hung up the phone. She looked confused. She looked helpless and lied her head down on the table.

Syaoran cleared his throat and sat close beside the girl. They were on the study lounge at the basement. The said place was not known to all the students in the campus; therefore, it was somehow a private place that only a few knew. Syaoran stayed there for an hour now when the girl came. There were some students there as well who also heard the girl's conversation with someone on the phone. He was a sort of irritated at first which slowly faded when he heard of what she said. And of _whom_ they were talking about.

The girl didn't budge with his act towards her. She stayed still.

"Erm - this is Syaoran, miss." the girl looked up with that and her confusion seemed to have vanished.

"Can we talk?" the girl's eyes beamed when Syaoran said that. Of course, she's not insane to let that moment just pass. Freshmen girls are squealing and hoping he'd even smile at them. Now, he's on her very front, asking her to talk with him! Good gracious! She agreed immediately, of course.

"No problemo." she answered professionally.

"Not here, please." Syaoran said, so they both went out of the campus. They entered in a coffee shop just nearby.

"So, you are -?" Syaoran asked as he offered the girl a seat.

"Tomoyo. Tomoyo Daidouji," she smiled slyly.

Syaoran dealt with the attendant first before taking his seat. He then sat down and faced her afterwards. He offered her a hand over the table with a cute smile. Tomoyo immediately shook it and blushed.

"Tell me, this isn't a d-dream, right?" she stammered and looked at him.

"Do I have to slap you to prove to you it isn't?" Syaoran smiled. "Or kiss you?"

Tomoyo's eyes widened and her face blushed once again. She looked down at her feet and felt her knees tremble mildly. She couldn't look at him in the eyes. She surreptitiously pinched her knees and it hurt! But, wasn't it just too fast? She shook the thought away and just smiled silently.

"Tell me something about yourself, then." She asked and tried to smile. The attendant came and placed the cups on their table.

"As much as I would like to," Syaoran glimpsed at the flitting attendant, trying to compose the right words to tell her, "but, uhm, I guess you have to focus on looking for Sakura, first." He said and then sipped his coffee.

"OH! Was my voice _really_ that loud? How lame. But yeah. I don't know where in Tomoeda Sakura is! Now, I'm erupted with shouts by her brother. Oh, well. It WAS my fault. I admit," she said gloomily and stirred her black coffee.

"How are you connected with her?"

"She's my bestfriend. We're _girlfriends_ even during our youngest years." She emphasized the word because they really were childhood best of friends and playmates and sisters. "Now, I dunno where to start looking for her. It's confusing me." She added sadly.

"Don't worry, Tomoyo. I have Sakura at home." He said directly and painted a guilty smile on his face.

"R-really? How on e-earth?" Tomoyo stuttered. Syaoran heaved a deep sigh and talled her everything that happened the other night.

"Come with me at home after classes. I feel the need to bring you there so you'd see her," Syaoran said after telling her everything and then thrusted over the table his calling card to her. Tomoyo picked it up and they both cringed at one another. They finally stood up after they had there last sip of coffee and walked together back to the campus.

**::::**

"I haven't seen her today." Eriol glumly stated as he sat on the long chair beside Syaoran on the basement-study-lounge.

"Name her. I'd get confused identifying who among them." Syaoran half-jokingly-half-meant said without throwing a glimpse on him. He was busy studying the Breakeven chords.

"Oww! The master's just spoken." Eriol chuckled.

"Oi!" Syaoran reacted. "Oh, well, the Prime Minister's spoken!" he added and then snickered.

"HAHAHA. Now, you finally accepted that I have the most number of girls." Eriol flaunted. Syaoran just smirked and threw him his whatever-you-say look.

"Ah. Seriously, mate. I mean Sakura. Haven't seen her around." Eriol had that certain expression on his face Syaoran couldn't comprehend.

"Don't be so over-reacting, mate. It doesn't suite you." Syaoran smirked jokingly.

"No. I'm dead serious."

"What's so special about her, huh?"

"Dunno." Eriol shrugged. "Her eyes?"

"Urgh. She's blind. You like her for that?"

Eriol just stayed quiet.

"But what if I'd tell you she's in my house at this juncture?"

"I'll punch you squarely on the face."

"You're joking. You can't do it." said Syaoran and strummed a borrowed-guitar from the student supreme council office. Eriol looked at him, giving Syaoran his tell-me-you're-only-kidding look.

"Come with me after your class. Her bestfriend's also coming."

**::::**

"Is she really coming?" Eriol asked Syaoran impatiently and blenched smoke from his mouth. They were smoking outside the campus, leaning their backs against the railings built on the sidewalk that separated from the side-vendors.

"Patience is a virtue, mate." Syaoran merely said.

"Urggh. Whatever you say. That's an archaic -"

"OH! Hi there! My god, Syaoran! Sorry I'm late. I was still having this sort of debate with my teacher, eh." Tomoyo said hastily, catching up her breath since she ran all her way from the fourth floor down.

"It's alright. No worries." Syaoran said. "By the way, Tomoyo? This is Eriol, my bestfriend. Mate, this is Tomoyo, Sakura's bf." Tomoyo was starstrucked upon seeing Eriol and waited for him to hold his hand out which the latter didn't. He merely nodded at her.

"Let's go." Eriol said and trailed off.

Tomoyo was somehow dismayed with Eriol's act. He didn't even greet her with a 'hi'.

Syaoran noticed her reaction and smiled. He draped his arms around Tomoyo's shoulder. She looked up. "He's not in the mood today. Just don't take him seriously, okay?" Syaoran softly said to her ears so Eriol couldn't hear him.

"Okay." She said and they followed Eriol then.

**:::::**

"Sakuraaa!" Tomoyo called out at the top of her lungs when they finally came in the room where Sakura was resting.

"M-Moyo?" Sakura asked in hesitation.

"Yes, 'Kura. Who else would have a voice like mine? It's Moyo." Tomoyo said and made her way to her. Sakura was merely groping in the air for her bestfriend and when she finally felt her, she grabbed Tomoyo so hard and shrunk into her with tears.

"What happened? Thought I was kidnapped." Sakura said, still not breaking from her bestfriend's hug. She was sniffling so hard, a thing that made the two boys look at each other.

"You fainted at the park. Perhaps, you didn't take your dinner. Good Lord, my friend here - Eriol, found you." Syaoran answered, using his I-am-serious tone to convince Sakura.

"Eriol?"

Eriol looked at Syaoran immediately, his eyes asking the latter "are you kidding?". Syaoran, who was just as calm as a dead sea, gave him his just-ride-with-me-or-else look. Tomoyo was also shocked with Syaoran's reason. Eriol, who eyed Syaoran intensely, approached Sakura on the bed then, and sat on the bed-side.

"Remember the chapel guy? Yeah, it's me, Sakura. At first, I didn't know why my feet led me to that place on the wee hour of the night. Now, I know. Time's got mind as well, do you agree?" Eriol said as he got her hand and gently stroked it. He threw a glimpse at Syaoran who was actually very amazed at Eriol's making-some-convincing-pick-up-lines ability. Eriol was really worse than him. Tomoyo, who knew everything, just eyed Syaoran.

_'So, Eriol - the chapel guy, now?' _Syaoran thought naughtily. He nearly gagged when he heard Eriol say it.

"Oh, why! Thank you, Eriol! You're an angel!" Sakura exclaimed with a genuine smile. "And uhm, by the way, you have a friend -?"

Eriol looked at Syaoran instantaneously. The latter motioned to tell her he was only Eriol's helper or boy, whatsoever. Eriol, getting what Syaoran was trying to point out, then faced Sakura back and said. "Oh, yes. He's, erm - Ryo! My helper in this house. He's the only guy in this house, you see, aside from his father of course, who's also my driver. His father's been serving the family for 15 years now. Eventually, Ryo and I grew up together in this house. He, on the servant's quarter, though. But still, we're friends. Good friends. I don't see him as a mere helper." Eriol let out a noiseless sigh after that.

"Ohh. How good of you, Eriol!" Sakura stated, greatly impressed with whom she think was a really nice guy in front of her.

"CAN I take Sakura now? Oh, why! I _shouldn't_ ask. Let me rephrase it: I HAVE TO TAKE SAKURA NOW. We got to go." Tomoyo interrupted and fixed Sakura's countenance. She could no longer withstand these two chap's bluffs. They were taking advantage of Sakura's limitation.

"We'll bring you safely to your dorm." Eriol said.

"Thanks. But no thanks. We can manage. I CAN bring my bestfriend back to the dorm _safely_, don't worry." Tomoyo said toughly. She was so disappointed at the two's now-apparent-to-her attitudes. She hoped she could tell those squealing girls about their REAL deeds. They're no nice guys, as what most of the girls see them. They belong to the ass-headed-whose-sex-organs-must-be-cut classification of men.

"Oh, Eriol. Thank you once again." Sakura said and stood up.

"Don't thank him over and over and over again, Kura. One is already enough. Besides, he doesn't deserve _one_." Tomoyo said as she guided her through the door, passing in front of Syaoran.

"What do you mean, Moyo?" Sakura asked innocently. Tomoyo glared at the two guys, who signaled her not to spill anything, and said to Sakura, "Oh, nothing, my dear. Let's go home now. I still have a lot of school works to deal with." Tomoyo led her to the door right away.

Both Syaoran and Eriol sighed when they were out of their sights.

**:::::**

"I feel there are many people here, Moyo. Why is that so?" Sakura asked when they passed the living room where there was the wake for Syaoran's dead parents.

"Oh, there's a wake, honey."

"My! I nearly forgot! I haven't extended my condolences to Eriol. Can we like go near the coffins? Yeah, I know I wouldn't know how his parents look like, but can I just feel the coffins?"

"Oh, come on, Sakura. The hell with them! I mean, can we just go home now? I'm dead tired but I still have to study for an exam in one of my subjects tomorrow. Please?"

"Aww. Sure thing."

**:::::**

"That was close, mate!" Eriol exclaimed and threw himself on the couch. "Why on earth did you do that, huh? My god, Syaoran! We're taking advantage of a blind girl! Why do you have to lie?"

"You like her, right? I'm making some moves here so she'd get impressed with you and feel like she owes you a LOT." Syaoran said, climbing up to the bed to rest.

"Oh! That's a bright idea then. But what if her bestfriend's going to spill out everything! We'd be dead!"

"She wouldn't do that. I assure you." Syaoran said, with a smile on his face as his eyes were fixed on the blank ceiling.

"Oi, I saw that thing on your face!" Eriol chuckled. "You like that black-haired girl?"

There was a pause. Then, Syaoran answered curtly, "Maybe."

**::::: END of Chapter :::::**

**A/N:**

**Ohhh. Would that mean there'd be _Sakura - Eriol_ && _Tomoyo - Syaoran_ pairings here? Dunno. Ain't sure yet. But there could be a great possibility. :))**

**RxR, homies! **

**To God be the Glory! :)**

xoxo,

_**TheBeautifulSignorina**_


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N :**

**Kombanwa minna-san! Sorry, this chapter kinda took quite long. I've fallen out of inspiration in completing this fic with all those pressures in school plus the fact that I don't have my own computer back home nor do I own a laptop. That's really sad, you know, when you so love writing yet you don't have any media to share your passion to the world! Tsk. .**

**Anyways, these past few days, I've pondered about finishing this fic even though you guys are now falling out of interest (I strongly hope not! .) in reading this just-a-trash fic. :(**

**Still, I do wish you'd spend even your minutes with this. =)**

**:::::**

**CHAPTER 5**

"Hey – wait!" Syaoran called out in a decisive voice as he finally achieved a firm grip on that long black-haired lass' forearms. She came to a sudden halt when she felt that big hand gripping her tightly and turned to see him catching his breath.

"What?" Tomoyo asked, almost bellowing. Her eyes were giving Syaoran her we-have-nothing-else-in-this-world-to-talk-about look.

"Why the long brisk walk?" he asked, a sweat rolled at the side of his face. He wiped that with the back of his palm and comb his hair afterward, making a girl at his back giggle with nervousness since he looked so cool and cute when he does that (combing his hair with his fingers).

"What do you want?" she asked back, her voice clearly tinted with a pestered intonation.

"Okay. That was unjust of you, I must say. I kept on calling you from the third floor but you seemed not to hear me until here. I suggest you attend to your doctor one of these days." Tomoyo raised a brow with that, obviously irritated. "Just kidding." Syaoran immediately said upon seeing that irritation marked on her face and merely laughed at his own joke.

_'Oh, he laughed! He thinks it's funny? Perhaps he only laughed so he won't be embarrassed with his own dumbs-are-the-only-ones-who'd-laugh joke.' _she thought. "Stop beating around the bush, man. Get straight. I don't have all the time to listen to your _funny_ jokes." Tomoyo said sarcastically, emphasizing her second-to-the-last word.

"Sorry. Well, er - ," Syaoran looked around at his surroundings. They were in the middle of the campus grounds and a lot of people were passing by of whom most girls threw Syaoran their sly looks. There was even a group of girls wherein a blushing freshman lass was pushed by her friends as they stared at him. "Can we look for some other, you know, private place?" he asked, feeling uneasy of the said spot.

"No. If you don't want to tell me whatever you want to say here, then I must go." She plainly said.

"Okay." Syaoran took one step closer to her, enough that only the two of them can hear their conversation. Tomoyo could smell his scent. "Keep everything you knew in that room the other day secret. Please don't spill any single thing to her. Help me save my ass out here. Would you? _For me?_" Syaoran sounded convincing with those last two words.

Tomoyo grinded her teeth, fighting back the feeling of melting with his last two words. "Listen. I've thought about that thing last night and decided not to tell her all your lies and foolishness you brought out of her. But I'd do that not to save your ass out here, _for you, _whatsoever. But for her and her feelings. She's bearing a great limitation in her life she never wished to come, and all she needs is to be loved, not _lied and fooled_." Tomoyo went red because her blood in the head already seethed.

"Sorry." Syaoran casted his eyes down, pretending to be really sorry.

"One more thing."

"What?" He looked up.

"Don't ever go near her anymore. And ME. Or else . . ." Tomoyo left that statement hanging and blew a strand of her hair which fell over her face.

"Or else what?"

"I don't knowww!" Tomoyo was now half-furious with this irritating Syaoran who suddenly grips her forearm out of nowhere and pesters her like no one has ever done to her. "Urgh! Punch you on the face and kick your worthy-to-be-cut-with-a-sharp-ax prick! Damn ittt! Do you still want to know the consequence, HUH?" she became deeper red by then. People were now staring at them, others, perhaps, might have had overheard that sensitive part.

Syaoran chuckled at her behavior. "Yes. Because I'd take the risk, just to get to _you_."

Tomoyo, now about to explode, blurted out, "Shut uppp! Go home and eat dung!" she turned on her heels and trailed off without looking back at him. Syaoran was just left there, deeply amused.

**:::::**

_I'd catch a grenade for you _

_Throw my head on a blade for you_

_I'd jump in front of a train for you_

_You know I'd do anything for you_

Girls in the canteen, now of growing custom, were squealing and singing at the top of their lungs with Syaoran Li's band playing over the campus radio. Conversations in the canteen would surely be not comprehensible because of the ear-piercing noise. Yet, Tomoyo and Sakura managed to speak to each other.

"You really hungry, Moyo?" Sakura asked as she dove on her meal.

"Huh? Why?" Tomoyo looked up, her steak stuck in her mouth, confused.

"Why aren't you joining the other girls?"

Tomoyo smirked at that question and worked on that steak in her mouth first before speaking up. "Oh, that?" she sniggered. "Perhaps I've achieved this certain thing called 'Law of Diminishing Admiration'. I mean, it was just a mere infatuation, Sakura! I woke up one day finding no spark upon hearing his damn voice and seeing his Apollo-like looks anymore! The END. Infatuation's _over_ now." Tomoyo said convincingly. But the truth was that, she was about to fall for him until that incident among the four of them in Syaoran's room happened. She was so disappointed at that revelation of their real colors.

"Really, Moyo?" Sakura eagerly asked for confirmation.

"Yes. Why the sudden excitement?"

"Uhm, I guess, I have to tell you something."

"Sure. What's that?"

"I woke up one day finding that spark you've lost."

Tomoyo stopped gnawing. "HUWA?" she asked incoherently with the food in her mouth.

"Swallow that first." Sakura half-laughed. Tomoyo swallowed the food without chewing it anymore. "What do you mean, Sakura?" she asked, nervous of her cousin's answer. Tomoyo knew what Sakura meant, but the former wanted to hear those exact words that would really confirm the notion which sprang out of her mind.

"I guess I'm falling for the vocalist – Syaoran." Sakura tried to smile, a bit ashamed of that sudden confession she shared to her abashed cousin.

"No way!" Tomoyo slammed the spoon and fork on the table.

"W-why?" Sakura stammered.

The song finally ended and girls wanted for another song which the band didn't fulfill because they still had classes to attend to. The cousins just didn't mind their busy surrounding because they were now in the climax of their conversation.

"I m-mean you're not . . . _seeing_." Tomoyo softly said the last word. "How in the world would you be falling for someone like him?" she laughed, she tried at least, to make their conversation not that totally serious.

"Ouch. That hurts." Sakura arched both her lip-ends down.

"What I mean is – "

"Yes. I got your point, Moyo. I'm _blind._" Sakura sighed. "But that doesn't mean I don't have any single right to feel great things like this – _love_. Yes, Moyo. I admit I may not be seeing. But God is so gracious, I have a heart that's beating and as long as it does, it means God still wants me to love despite my limitation."

There was silence between them that dominated. Tomoyo lost her words for a moment.

"But what if he's the ugliest man in this world?" She asked when she found them finally. "Okay, erase that question. You know he looks really good since girls do fall head over heels for him. Let's put it this way. What if he's a bad guy like Edward Cullen who's actually a vampire, but in your case, Syaoran's really really evil? You know, with all the transformation stuff?" Tomoyo elaborated her opposition so Sakura might change her mind about falling for him, though absurd may it sound.

"I don't know." Sakura laughed. "But I do believe God chose him for me. And that whenever I hear _his voice_, God's the one who causes my heart to palpitate with ecstasy."

Tomoyo almost cried with that.

**:::::**

It was already late in the afternoon and twilight has almost dominated over the horizon. Sakura didn't go to their dormitory yet and instead, spent time sitting on one of those benches on the campus grounds, feeling the cool breeze brushing her rosy cheeks. Suddenly, she felt two hands cover her eyes. She touched them. They were big, and she sure they weren't Tomoyo's. She remembered someone else.

"I couldn't see. You need not cover my eyes anymore if you want to surprise me, Eriol." Sakura simply said.

"Been expecting me?" Sakura felt him let go and sat beside her.

"You wish."

"How'd you know it was me, then?"

"My senses said so."

"Oh. I like your senses, they long for me." Sakura just said nothing. "Wait a moment." Eriol said. "I have something for you." He said after about a couple of minutes. Eriol showed her the thing, his eyes fixed at those unmoving emerald ones, deeply touched by the fact that this lovely creation couldn't even see the beauty of this wonderful world.

"Tell me. What's that?" Sakura asked eagerly.

"Here, feel it." Eriol placed the thing on her hands which Sakura studied by touching them keenly.

"A flower." Sakura said after a moment and flashed a cute smile. "Did you pick this somewhere?"

Eriol laughed. "Yeah. There are planted flowers on our campus grounds, you know, for refreshing views. I picked one. I don't care if the university guard would see me and confiscate my ID! I'd take the risk, if that flower would just make you smile." There was a pause. "By the way, how'd you know it's a flower? Have you felt one before? Urgh, bad. It's not me who first made you feel such."

"No. Not just felt, but seen."

"Huh? What do you mean?"

"My blindness isn't inborn, Eriol. I was born with complete senses – with sight. Not until that accident which happened when I was 7 years old back then. That caused a great shift in my life, really."

"Why? What happened?"

"We were in the park that time, with my family, you know. It was our once-in-a-week bonding moment together. I was buying ice cream with my brother when I saw a boy getting his toy in the middle of the street and a nearing truck in which I saw from my view, from where I stood, that the driver was groping for something underneath his seat thus missing the view of the boy in the mid of the road! I tried to tug my brother's t-shirt but he was busy staring at a gorgeous girl nearby. I didn't shout because the boy might just merely look at me and as milliseconds passed, he'd be hit by the truck! So, I don't know why, but all of a sudden, I realized I was already running towards him and pushed him to the other side of the road. Then I heard people screaming. . . then I lost my consciousness."

"It was you who's hit?" Eriol asked furiously.

"Apparently, yes. And it took me a week before I regained my consciousness back. I was in the hospital, of course. I opened my eyes and heard my brother say, '_Sakura? You're awake! Dad! Sakura's already up!" _and my dad say, '_Good Lord! Sakura, my dear!'_ and they both hugged me gently. But I asked them, '_Dad? Did you put the lights out?' _Silence followed. It was longer than I've imagined. It was as though they were not there. That I was alone in that room. Then I heard dad calling me, '_Sakura?' _and I answered, '_Dad, yes?' _I didn't know, he was already waving his hand next to my eyes, and moments later, I heard him sob like I've never heard of him before! And my brother exclaimed, '_No way!'_. I was confused at first, then came to think about why would they put the lights out? A tear suddenly seeped from my eyes, right away. I realized what was going on. My eyes were wide open, but I couldn't see even a slither of light in that room. I knew _it_, then."

"Haven't you found any donors?" Eriol curiously asked.

"There were. But none matched my cornea." Sakura felt Eriol's forefinger touch her cheek. She realized he was wiping her tears. She hasn't notice them seep out of her eyes.

"Sorry to hear that, Sakura. But you know what?" Eriol said, grasping her two slender hands. "God has His reasons why of all people, He let that thing happen to _you_." He said and hugged her gently with those words so she'd feel comfort. "That boy! Did he know what happened to the one who saved him? Where is he now?" he asked when they broke apart.

"I don't know if he did. I don't know where that fortunate boy is today. All I knew was that his family went to US a couple of days after the accident. Never even heard his family thank me for saving their son's life. May God bless them, anyways."

"Come with me."

"Where?"

"Somewhere." Eriol held her hands and guided her to the front seat of his car which was just parked nearby.

"Where are we going, Eriol?" Sakura asked when Eriol sunk to his seat and maneuvered the car.

"Trust me, Sakura."

**:::::**

"We're here." Eriol killed the engine of the car when they reached the place where he wanted to bring Sakura, then got out and opened the front-seat door and guided her as she stepped out.

"Wow. I like it." Sakura said softly when she felt a cold gush of wind brushing her skin. Eriol left her for a second, got something from the car, and held her again. He then guided her to a spot in which he laid a mat on the grass and made her sit down. Eriol, on the other hand, lied down, with both palms under the nape of his head, having a really good view on the sky.

"After about 30 minutes of driving, we're now on a mountain overlooking the city. It's already nighttime so the city dances with lights. And the sky, it's so clear, a thousand stars are twinkling overhead, watching over us." Eriol described the place so Sakura could visualize them in her mind.

"How lovely. Thank you for bringing me here, Eriol." She said with her eyes closed, feeling the beauty of the ambiance.

"I'll bring you here anytime you want."

"Thanks." she smiled. "Uhm, by the way," Sakura suddenly remembered something. "When's the burial?"

"Uh, that? This Sunday."

"Can I come?"

"The burial will be in Europe. Our clan's based there. I'm afraid you can't," Eriol said, silently cursing himself under his breath because he never wanted to lie to her again.

"I see. Uhm, you okay now, Eriol?" she asked, hugging her bent legs, her chin resting on her knees.

"Yes, Sakura. And I owe you my sweet recovery."

"I owe you a lot of things, too," she said, to block his words from trying to melt her heart.

"Er. . . do you like someone by now, Sakura?"

"Huh?" Sakura was shocked with the sudden twist of their conversation. "Uhm . . ." she hesitated. "Honestly. . . yes. It's that. . . S-Syaoran in school."

"Ahh." Eriol suddenly felt a stab in his heart. "So you're one of those squealing girls, then."

"No!" Sakura exclaimed. "I don't. But sometimes, I hear my heart does such."

There was another stab in his heart. '_I shouldn't tell you we're connected then and that I'm the Eriol who plays with him. I'd only get hurt even more. Damn you, Syaoran!' _Eriol madly thought.

Sakura noticed Eriol become taciturn. Moments later, the latter stood up and drove the former home.

**:::::**

It rained hard the next morning. Syaoran opened his eyes and when he glanced at his clock on top of his drawer just beside his bed, he suddenly threw himself up and realized he was already late for his 1st class. In ten minutes, he was ready for school and then hopped to his car. He drove fast to catch up with his class, disregarding the slippery and wet road. He was just two blocks away from the university when the front right wheel of his car passed a big crack on the road which had an accumulation of water from the rain, then followed by the back right wheel, thus creating two mini tidal wave on the street side-walk! Syaoran looked at his rearview mirror only to find an auburn-haired girl standing on the pavement, dripping wet, still shocked and fossilized about her fate. It was, for Christ's sake, Sakura! He remembered Tomoyo then, and his promise, but if he wouldn't approach her in that state which he stupidly caused, Tomoyo would surely kill him. And if he'd just drive away, his conscience would surely bother him the whole day! Besides, the poor girl's blind! So, out of goodness that was still left deep inside him, Syaoran stopped his car and ran to her.

"Sakura! _Gomen nasai_! I didn't mean it!" Syaoran exclaimed, uncertain of how to deal with her in that condition. He was already anticipating her to erupt in anger.

"Huh!" It was then that Sakura got her senses back. Suddenly, out of God-knows where, she felt her stomach twinge and felt butterflies swarming over it. But she ignored that weird feeling. "Oh, no! It's okay. It's okay!" She said convincingly so the man who caused her that wouldn't blame his self madly. "Who are you by the way? You seem to know me." She asked, squeezing her uniform.

"You sure you're okay? It's me, Syaoran!"

"S-Syao-r-ran?"

He froze. Did he say Syaoran? He thought he said Eriol! '_Damn it!'_ Syaoran thought. '_But wait, why do I always try to involve Eriol and escape from her as Syaoran whenever our paths cross? Get real, Syaoran!' _he madly told himself as his eyes fixed on those emerald orbs.

**::::: END of Chapter :::::**

**A/N:**

**Oh! IDK if this chapter sounded good. Did the content happen to degrade its quality or the power to somehow widen your imagination? URGH! I reckon I need to refresh my mind. It has been tortured and everything, perhaps that's the main reason why it's not working so well now. Hahaha. :) Yes, I may have the entire week as a vacation but that wouldn't guarantee the refreshment of my mind since this week would still be mixed with sleepless nights reviewing for our major exam by January!**

**But as of now, let me know about how and what you think of this chapter. I'd surely be motivated to finish this fic and do my best to come up with exciting future chappies if you'd share with me your genuine thoughts. :)**

**And oh! _Christmas_ is nearing! Happy holidays, everyone! Merry Christmas in advance and may you have a bountiful 2012! Walk with FAITH!**

**To God be the glory!**

xoxo,

**_TheBeautifulSignorina_**

**P.S. I'd do my very best to update when we get back to school by January (first week). You see, we have free-internet access there! :))**


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